Relevance. The toy is a carrier of strong emotionally loaded images. Historically, it acts as an intergenerational translator of culture and is one of the most important factors in the socialization of a child. At the same time, the modern toy market is not regulated in any way in terms of emotional and figurative content. This makes it necessary to analyze the emotional and imaginative qualities of game products for children from the perspective of its developmental function.
Progress of the study. The aim of the study is to identify the emotional content of toys recommended by manufacturers and sellers for preschool children. A sample of 150 photos of toys for preschool children taken in children’s goods stores, on manufacturers’ websites and the most popular marketplaces was carried out. To process the data, the “Image Expert” program was used, which includes a battery of measured image parameters that take into account the modalities of human perception in their expression through specific emotions.
Research results. A quantitative analysis of the range of gaming products included in the research complex, offered for preschool children by manufacturers, stores, and electronic trading platforms, showed that intellectual and constructive toys predominate in the total volume. The analysis set also included soft and interactive toys, professional and household play sets, dolls, robots, and children’s weapons. The analysis of the emotional content of the toys showed a low intensity, inexpressiveness of the toys despite the bright colors and bizarre shape. The perceptual properties of toys are contradictory, which reduces their overall emotional content and gives the toys a deceptive, insincere character. In general, toys offered for preschooler’s appeal more to the child’s mind rather than to the emotions, and also implicitly convey information about the insincerity and unreliability of the world around them.
Conclusions. Emotional well-being determines the full-fledged development of a child, one of the means of ensuring which is a child’s toy as a special socio-cultural and psychological phenomenon. Therefore, a conscious and responsible choice of toys by adults should become a sustainable element of a child’s healthy lifestyle. The data obtained make it possible to outline a scientific perspective and determine the subject of further research, and will also be informative for parents and teachers of educational institutions in order to form their sense of responsibility when choosing toys for preschool children.